Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. See our User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. See our Privacy Policy and User Agreement for details.

Subject Verb Agreement

2.
SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT
 Subjects and verbs must AGREE with one
another in number (singular or plural).
Singular subjects take singular
verbs
Plural subjects take plural verbs

3.
WORKING IN THE PRESENT
TENSE
In present tenses, nouns and verbs form plurals in
‘opposite’ ways:
 Singular subject = ADD an ‘S’ to the VERB
 Plural subject = NO ‘S’ on the VERB
All will become clear – promise!

4.
SINGLE SUBJECTS + SINGLE
VERBS
Single Subject Single Verb
The dog chases the cat.
The student works hard.
Susan drives to work.

6.
BE, DO, HAVE, GO, TEACH
The bag is on the floor. The bags are on the floor.
Barry does a great job. The workers do a great job.
Aadesh has three cats. The neighbours have three cats.
Bella goes swimming once a week. Bella and Darcy go swimming once a week.
Paul teaches Bella to swim. Paul and Mary teach Bella to swim.

8.
AGREEMENT IN NUMBER
Choose correct form:
The Hendersons are at the movie
theater.
The boxes have arrived from Spain.
The actor is reciting his lines.

9.
PHRASES
Sometimes a phrase will come between the
subject and verb, but don’t let this confuse
you! You still only need the subject and verb
agree.
The students at school has/have many
different jobs.
Members of the club make/makes
sandwiches at a shelter.

10.
PHRASES
Sometimes a phrase will come between the
subject and verb, but don’t let this confuse
you! You still only need the subject and verb
agree.
The students at school have many different
jobs.
Members of the club make sandwiches at a
shelter.

11.
WATCH OUT FOR COMPOUND
SUBJECTS
 When the parts of a compound subject are joined
by "and," treat the subject as plural, even if the
individual parts are singular.
 Which sentence is correct?
Danny and Rolando gets their share of
rebounds.
Danny and Rolando get their share of
rebounds.

12.
WATCH OUT FOR COMPOUND
SUBJECTS
 When the parts of a compound subject are joined
by "and," treat the subject as plural, even if the
individual parts are singular.
 Which sentence is correct?
Danny and Rolando get their share of
rebounds.

13.
WATCH OUT FOR COLLECTIVE
NOUNS
 Words such as group, jury, crowd, team, and committee can
be singular or plural depending on the meaning of the
subject.
For example:
 The jury has awarded compensation to the victim.
The jury is acting as one unit; therefore, the verb is singular.
 The jury members have been arguing for days.
The jury members are acting as individuals; therefore, the
verb is plural.

14.
SINGULAR INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
 The following words are treated as singular
subjects and take singular verbs.
 Each of the students is responsible for doing work in the
library.
 Neither of the tables is laid.
anyone anybody anything one
everyone everybody everything each
someone somebody something either
no one nobody nothing neither

17.
TASK
5. The committee (believe/believes) that waiting
until everyone arrives is important.
6. The committee (come/comes) from all parts of the
city, so we usually start late.
7. Each of those opera singers regularly (hit/hits)
notes high enough to break glass.
8. The tweezers (is/are) on the dresser.

18.
TASK
5. The committee (believe/believes) that waiting
until everyone arrives is important.
6. The committee (come/comes) from all parts of the
city, so we usually start late.
7. Each of those opera singers regularly (hit/hits)
notes high enough to break glass.
8. The tweezers (is/are) on the dresser.